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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:39 pm
Crying? Grendel nearly paled at the thought. For some reason, he had never considered the fact that they might and likely would cry. "I do not want them to cry." He said with a frown, and that frown was then directed down at the baby in his arms, as if he could will his newborn son to never cry just by giving him a look.
He felt Ravnos take his hand and he looked back at him with a questioning gaze as he began to tug him over to where the chair was sitting. The strange chair that rocked when you sat in it. The one he had obstinately refused to sit in before.
And now Ravnos was telling him to sit in it. He might have sighed a little, and given him a look that said 'must I?', but he turned around and did what he was told, as he oh so slowly and with great care, sat down in the chair that rocked, and then eased himself back into it, trying very hard not to make it move beneath him.
There. He was in the chair. Everything was fine.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 5:56 pm
Quietly he slipped the baby in his arms into the crook of Grendel’s other arm. “Just hold them.” He said before the God could protest. He had never seen Grendel hold two eggs at once unlike Ravnos who carried the two all the time. So the Disciple figured this would be the easiest way to get him used to it. Or at least a bit more confident in his ability to parent. Because, even though unlikely, there might be a time when Ravnos wasn’t around.
Moving behind the chair he pulled it back just slightly, not enough to startle him but enough so that he could push the chair a tiny bit forward. “Like that. Back and forth.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:10 pm
"Wait, n--." The protest was cut short when Ravnos thrust a second baby at him, startling him into nearly getting out of the chair as he sat forward, but that sudden movement made the chair shift beneath him and he went stone still, a baby nestled into each arm as he looked up at the Disciple with rising panic.
How could he do this to him?
And then it got worse.
At first, all Grendel could do was stubbornly sit perfectly still in the chair, even while it was being rocked forward and back from behind. However, eventually, when he realized it wasn't all that bad, he began to relax, and let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"I feel ridiculous." He said out loud, however, as he finally began to rock the chair on his own, using his feet to push the chair back and forth as instructed.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:20 pm
“You’ve just never done it before. Just enjoy this time because they get big before you know.” Moving back around to the front of the chair Ravnos backed up to the door. His fingers held in a square shape as he peered at the God through the hole that made with a smile. “Perfect.”
“Besides what happens if I’m not here but you have to take care of them both? You can’t just let one cry while you rock the other one.” Moving closer once more he leaned in to kiss Grendel on the forehead. A tender kiss from his usual. “I just want you to be able to do that. That’s all.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:28 pm
It was true. They would not stay this small for long, and time moved swiftly for immortals, and especially so for Gods. What might take days, weeks, or even months would go by in what felt like mere moments. It was with this thought in mind that the God glanced down to the baby in each of his arms, in how they were snuggled in against him, and how both seemed quite content to be there. How long could this moment last?
He felt that same little twist in his chest from before, but his gaze shot back up when Ravnos spoke again, eyes following him as he got closer.
"Are you planning on going somewhere?" He asked, lips rising in a small smile that grew when Ravnos placed a kiss on his forehead.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 6:49 pm
Ravnos shook his head. His jewelry chiming with the movement. “Of course not. Not even wild horses could keep me from this. From you.”And that was the truth. Now that he had had this experience, known and felt what it was really like. Something true like this. Why would he ever go anywhere?
That thought gave him pause.
Was he still what he spouted off to being? Was he a Ravnos when he felt this way? A known wanderer who darkened many doors? Was this just temporary? How this was all going to unfold he had no idea but he was along for the ride now it seemed.
He decided that no it didn’t completely change who he was. Rwvnos had completly vanished from this plane and loved another life. Body wise he was still the same as he had always been but….dofferent. The identity crisis could come at another time. “Do you went to put them in their crib now?” He asked softly.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:04 pm
"Okay." He gave a little nod of his head. "So long as you know you are allowed to leave, whenever you want. I would not keep you trapped here." He had thought about that many times before. Of course, he would miss him if he left, but they both knew who he was. A wanderer. A traveler. It would not feel right to ask him to stay.
Besides. The God would be happy to wander with him, should it come down to it. He could find someone else to look after things for a little while. There was always his sister's daughter.
Of course, Grendel had no idea that Ravnos was going through any kind of identity crisis.
He pondered the question for a moment, what Ravnos had said about them not staying like this forever had struck a chord inside of him. "Maybe in a few more moments." His low voice rumbled.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:12 pm
“I would stay…..if you asked me to.” Maybe he had grown tired of wandering. Maybe he wanted something else for his life. Sure, he might miss finding new places, meeting new people and just generally having a claw on the pulse of what was going on in the world. But for him. He’d stay.
But if Grendel wanted to wander with him, which he would also enjoy, Ravnos would not protest. They could live with the Romani for a while. Or maybe just head out on their own. There was so much that Grendel had probably not seen or experienced being locked away in his father’s temple. Ravnos sometimes forgot that he was more worldly than the God.
Perhaps it wasn’t so much an indent it crisis as he though. It was certainly not what he had expected to come about of his unlife that was for sure.
He smiled warmly. “See? A pro already.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:26 pm
"I would not ask you that." The God smiled though because Ravnos's words warmed him. Knowing that he would stay for him if he wanted him to? Well...it was a very nice sentiment. "You belong out in the world, not trapped in a temple the way Caine would have had me. Whenever you want to leave, just say so, and will join you." A small pause, and a grin. "Well, if you would have me."
He supposed he should not assume.
Still rocking the babies gently in the chair, the God smirked at the Disciples words. "Yes. Until they begin to fuss. Then you can be the 'pro'[ for a while."
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:34 pm
He fiddled with the black band on his finger absentmindedly. “Ok. But uh, no more nearly killing the Romani ok?” He was still not sure where that girl went to but had had a sneaking suspicion. Ravnos quirked an eyebrow at the God. A curious look in reaction to the last part of what he had said. “Of course I would. You’re stuck with me now”
Clearing his throat his eyes narrowed only slightly. “That’s fine I don’t mind.” Reaching down he stroked each baby’s head gently.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:42 pm
The smile slipped and Grendel looked up at Ravnos. He recalled that night and all of the events that had transpired. Had the God killed a young child? Yes...but Ravnos had also left him alone and had not explained to him that it was not allowed.
And then there had been the woman in the Disciples bed. Grendel's eyes darkened just slightly at the memory. "I make no promises, because depending on certain situations, it may be necessary." He responded and his voice was even.
"I will, however, promise not to eat any more Romani children."
There. He admitted to it.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 7:48 pm
It had been a joke. Mostly. And the air shifted just a bit. Ravnos's gaze and attention turning back to Grendel from the babies where it had so often drifted while they talked. He had said something that he probably should not have in jest. It was something he found himself doing more often lately. When has that started? Either way he let out a small sigh. It parted his lips just slightly.
The little girl started to stir and shift in her blanket. Struggling suddenly against the fabric as she let out a loud cry.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:00 pm
Grendel had fallen silent after that, lost in his own thoughts, eyes going a little unfocused as he looked away from Ravnos. Yes, the mood had shifted significantly in the span of seconds, and at that moment he did not want to say or do anything more to make it worse.
He did not even realize he had stopped rocking in his chair. He barely even noticed the two small bodies nestled in his arms. It was not until the little girl began to squirm that he remembered, his eyes blinking and refocusing with a start.
She let out a loud cry and he winced, the sound tearing through him and making him immediately feel as though he had done something wrong. Of course, once she started, the other began to move as well in response, letting out its own, small fussing sounds, though not nearly in so loud of a way as his sister.
His eyes sought out Ravnos's again, the faint edge of panic had begun to return. "Could you take one of them, please?" He did not specify which, he only knew that he would have an easier time dealing with one crying baby over both at the same time.
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:09 pm
Ravnos moved in to scoop the girl up since she was being the loudest and the fussiest of the two. Cradling her against his chest, he walked back and forth across the floor while patting her back a small bounce in his step. He made a quiet shhhh noise. “Taci acum iubito. Shhhhh.”
Still she cried. Which probably meant they were close to getting hungry. He still wasn’t one hundred percent sure how to go about feeding them. What the Romani woman had told him really only dealt with mortal babies. Maybe he should have asked a vampire that had had children too. They would know.
“I think they are close to being hungry.”
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Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2022 8:16 pm
He would be lying if he said he wasn't relieved that Ravnos had taken the girl. She had been much more squirmy, and a lot louder than the boy. Even now, he was moving around, kicking at his blanket and making small, unhappy sounds, but he did not cry. He was finding other, less loud ways to show that something was amiss.
Since he was still sitting in the chair, Grendle carefully moved the boy to his lap. He had watched Ravnos wrap them and thought he had a good idea on how to redo it, now that the baby had nearly kicked the blanket free. He wrapped him back up smoothly and lifted him to rest on his stomach against Grendels chest, a large hand supporting the back of his head.
Again, it appeared that paternal instinct could kick in, when necessary.
"So, how do we feed them?" Grendel asked because he still expected Ravnos to have the answers.
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